Padded football jersey



7, 1930. V R. D. EVANS I 1,777,373

PADDED FOOTBALL JERSEY Filed April 11, 1929 zm z vf zz i front of a rushing opponent.

Patented Oct. 7, 193

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT D. EVANS, or NORRISTOWN, rnNNsYLvANrA, AssIeNoR 'ro MITCHELL & NESS, or PHILADELPHIA, IPENNSYLVANIA,A CORPORATION or P NNSY VANIA PADDED FOOTBALL I JERSEY Application filed April 11, 1929. Serial No. 354,190.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a padded foot ball jersey, more particularly such as used by football playersfor the protection of the sides of the body in the region of the lower ribs andthe kidneys.

It is well recognized by persons engaged in the rather hazardous game of foot ball that a player acting in the capacity of interference oftentimes is compelled to throw himself in In order to stop the progress of said opponent, he must be brought to the ground and this can usually be accomplished by tripping him through throwing the body against his legs in the region of his knees. In doing this, the interfering player has a very vulnerable portion of his body left open, namely, the ribs, because the: opponentsknees may contact therewith under considerable force due to the speed at which the opponent is traveling and may re suit in injury to the interfering. player.

One of the objects of my invention is to lessen the chances of a player being injured by protecting the ribs and the kidneys which may be accomplished by placing pads upon the jersey, which pads will lie in the region of the wearers ribs when the jersey is in use. Another object of the iny'entionis to provide a unique arrangement of pad receiving pockets located on the inside of the jersey.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a foot ball jersey having vertical pockets at both sides of the jersey, which when in use, will be in the region of the wearers lower ribs, both back and front.

With these ends in View, this invention consists in the details of construction: and combination of elements hereinafter set forth r and then specifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail,referring bynumerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in.

Fig. 1, is afront perspective View of a padded foot ball jersey embodyingmy invention.

Fig. 2, is a rear perspective View thereof.

of the wearer. shoulder and elbowjpads-sewn thereon, and a the lower or floating ones, a plurality of fibre covered with felt,

region of the lower floating ribs of the wear 3, is an enlarged fragmentaryinrfer H face View of the jerseyinthe set of pockets. j i Fig. 4, is a sectionwon the line 4- 1: of Fig. 3.

region of one embodied, 5 represents a jersey of usual cona "5n in carry ng out my nventionas herein struction to be worn by football players with the usual foot ball pantsand with or without the usual jacket. p The costume of afoot ball player generally includes a jersey and foot ball pants, the lat-' ter being well padded about the knees,

thighs and hips so as to protect some parts Jerseys oftentimes have even breast bone protectors, but the ribs are generally left absolutely unprotected.

In order to protect the ribs, particularly pockets 6 of suitable textile fabric are mounted on the inside of the jersey at both sides thereof so that each set extends from a point slightly to the front to another point slightly to the back of the jersey and said, pockets are arranged Vertical so that their upper ends ofmouths are open for the reception of suitable removable pads 7. The pads 7 are preferably composed of flexible While jackets or different ments worn on the body have been padded,

- {so forms of gar-f especially in the region of the sides, I desire it understood that the gist of my invention consists in padding a foot ball jersey in-the.

er so as to protect such ribs and the kidneys from blows delivered to the back, sides and front of the body, and more specifically the l invention embodies the particular arrange ment of the pads which are removably mounted in sets of vertically arranged pockets located on the inside of the jersey at the sides thereof.

When in use, the ribs are .well protected. when the wearers body is thrown in front of anopponentwhich is generally accomplished with the body in a slightly turned position,

that is with more of the side toward the opponent, but oftentimes a portion of the front or back of the body receives the impact of the blow.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as these may be varied Within the limits of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new and useful is In combination with a foot-ball jersey, two sets of vertically arranged pad receiving pockets mounted on the inside ofthe jersey, one at each side thereof and extending from a point slightly to the front to another point slightly to the back and when in use being located in the region of the wearers ribs and 'kidneys, said pockets being vertically positioned with their upper ends open and pads of flexible fibre covered with felt removably inserted in said pockets to afford protectionto the wearers ribs and kidneys.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

ROBERT D. EVANS. 

